Hello. My name is Igore Von Cherkastov and I am starting this journal to record all of my adventures and perilous battles that I am sure that I will witness during this war that my people are beginning to call the "Great" one. As I march out of my small village a few miles south of Moscow, I worry about my family that I am leaving behind. I know that they are in good hands, since, after all, my father is the mayor of our town. I am lucky to be in a relatively secure position of power in the Motherland, Russia. It saddens me to look at the lower villagers and see how they are constantly struggling just to feed their family. It also upsets me that the Czar wont let Mother Russia industrialize like the rest of the rest of Europe. As I march down the small dirt roads leading out of the village to go meet with my squad that I lead, I can only hope that it is still the same when I return. That is, if I return....
Here are a few pictures that I keep close to me
Wife-My loving and caring wife Edna, how did I get a girl like that you ask? I honestly dont know... but I'm glad I did! Car-What did you expect? We havn't even industrialized for God's sake Entertainment-Me back in the day when I could, how you say, "bust a move". Red Square-the very essence of Mother Russia. My Hat-Sure it doesn't provide much protection, but it is as important to us as the pointy little spikes on the German hat's are to them. My Hobby- This is just a little bit of my vast collection. In my village, it is considered extremely manly to collect figurings. Day Job -What I do during the day. My Dog-My best friend. He looks like me, do not you think? The Czar-Our leader- whether we like it or not... Russian Propaganda- A poster of our view of the war. Read the poster article below to find out more.
August 1st, 1914 Today, I left my home and marched to the nearest train; so much for that two month vacation... When I arrived at the train depot, i met with my squad. Oh is this going to be fun... They are the poorest excuse for Russian soldiers I have ever met. Most, I doubt, can even fire a gun! I guess thats what I'm here for though, the only problem is, that we don't have time to train. We're marching out today! This isn't looking to good for us, here we marching to Austria-Hungary while Germany points a gun-no- a fully loaded artillery weapon to our head. Mabye I can whip these men into shape while we camp at night... I guess I'll get to work right now. These men will be fighting machines by the time I'm done with them! Here we go... off to war. Well at least we have some catchy music to go along with it.
December 14, 1914
I feel alone. Its been a while since I last posted, but we've been moved around so much that it was impossible for me to get in enough time to write. Now, we're the only squad in this area of the eastern front. Nobody else for miles. We have been stationed in a remote northern part for now, which is as a blessing, I guess. At least we won't see much action. The only problem is that now that my men know how to fight, they want to try out their skill. Communications are down... again. I swear that the war could end and it would be a year before they decide to tell us! We get the occational visit from a commander everyonce in a while, but its only regulation visits to the station. We're freezing our butts off up here while the rest of Europe is in the middle of a war! Wait... whats that on the horizon? A German convoy? Get ready men! Heres your chance to show off your skills! Don't let me down!
December 25, 1914
Here we are. The first Christmas of many I assume. When I last posted, I got carried away. There was no enemy, just a messenger coming to tell us that we've been reassigned to a post south of here... we shot him in the leg. Now im being demoted. The good thing is that we're going to be in the middle of the action now, even if it is under close supervision from a luitenant... Today we went into the nearby town to stock up on supplies when i saw this poster. It seems like even the women are putting forth effort for the war. It makes me think of my wife, Edna, back at home and wish I could see her beautiful face. I just hope she hasn't been talking to that meat vender down the road again... or else I might be demoted again, mabye a uniform with black and white stripes? Anyways, Scouts have reported Austria-Hungarian troops about fifteen miles away. My men are anxious to actually fight. The only leg to be shot this time is the leg of our enemy! Let's just hope we're ready enough to hold our guard, this front shifts so much that it would be more appealing to me just to stay where we are, but we try to move forward, allways with the moving forward... Well I'm going to sleep tonight so I am well rested for tommorrow's supposed battle. Goodnight!
P.S. I hate that meat salesman from down the street...
January 25, 1915
Happy new year, or at least, as happy as it gets being in a cold wet ditch for a month straight... when I last spoke, I mentioned a group of Austro-Hungarian soldiers to the west marching this way. Well, they came, and they faught, and are still fighting. The battle started off exciting! Our men held them off for hours. We fired artillery, used machine guns, and even pushed them back a little bit. The only problem is that they did the same thing about half a mile away. So here we are. Two countries standing in walking distance of each other, but never moving an inch. We have been more reluctant to send our troops into what the western front calls "no man's land", but we have sent a few. About five hundred or so have died so far on our side, and each day the number increases. It's miserable down here, but at least I know im not being sent accross on one of the general's crazy suicide missions. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my men. Half of my squad has been replaced already and I feel that soon I won't be able to recognize anyone in it. It makes me wish that we were back up in the wasteland to the north. But then I hear that they are expieriencing war too, so mabye not... It is upsetting, however that we're in one of the only trench systems on the Eastern Front. I guess its better than not knowing when or where we'll be attacked, however. Theres not much surprise here. Oh look! They're charging after us! What a surprise. I will talk later. For now, we must deal with these pests. April 17, 1915
Today, the German's struck back. After capturing Lemburg, we ran out of supplies. There is no point to keep going in, If I can say so, I would wrather be back on our little "front" without seeing any action. I can only hope this doesn't become like the fronts of the west... We continue to fall back to the East, and it feels as if we have accomplished nothing. It's only a matter of time before they recapture Lemburg and all the land we worked so hard to secure...
May 20, 1916
I know that it has been over one year since I last wrote, but it's been so hectic I never had he opportunity to. Now, however, I'm mad. That greedy swine Sir Nicholas is making us fight in this war, when we cant even afford it! He is sending our men into the line of fire to be massacred and letting our troops get run over because we have very few guns to defend ourselves! I hear of riots that have started forming in Moscow and across the entire nation. It wont be long before I have the so called "Tzar's" head on a sliver platter if I have anything to say about it!
May 21, 1916 We discussed it last night, and we have have all decided apon one thing. REVOLUTION! Forget this war and it's petty reasons, we're leaving and not coming back. Boy is this exciting! We will make him pay for what hes done to us and we will rebuild this country from the ground up. Mother Russia will no longer be the poor nation. Millions of soldiers will not have died in vain. A rebirth is upon us, and it will be grand! As we prepare for the assult, we prepare for a war of our own. It's not involving any Germany, Italy, Britain, or even Serbia. This is our war. Our revolution.
As I march down the small dirt roads leading out of the village to go meet with my squad that I lead, I can only hope that it is still the same when I return. That is, if I return....
Here are a few pictures that I keep close to me
Wife-My loving and caring wife Edna, how did I get a girl like that you ask? I honestly dont know... but I'm glad I did!
Car-What did you expect? We havn't even industrialized for God's sake
Entertainment-Me back in the day when I could, how you say, "bust a move".
Red Square -the very essence of Mother Russia.
My Hat-Sure it doesn't provide much protection, but it is as important to us as the pointy little spikes on the German hat's are to them.
My Hobby- This is just a little bit of my vast collection. In my village, it is considered extremely manly to collect figurings.
Day Job -What I do during the day.
My Dog-My best friend. He looks like me, do not you think?
The Czar -Our leader- whether we like it or not...
Russian Propaganda - A poster of our view of the war. Read the poster article below to find out more.
August 1st, 1914
Today, I left my home and marched to the nearest train; so much for that two month vacation... When I arrived at the train depot, i met with my squad. Oh is this going to be fun... They are the poorest excuse for Russian soldiers I have ever met. Most, I doubt, can even fire a gun! I guess thats what I'm here for though, the only problem is, that we don't have time to train. We're marching out today! This isn't looking to good for us, here we marching to Austria-Hungary while Germany points a gun-no- a fully loaded artillery weapon to our head. Mabye I can whip these men into shape while we camp at night... I guess I'll get to work right now. These men will be fighting machines by the time I'm done with them!
Here we go... off to war. Well at least we have some catchy music to go along with it.
December 14, 1914
I feel alone. Its been a while since I last posted, but we've been moved around so much that it was impossible for me to get in enough time to write. Now, we're the only squad in this area of the eastern front. Nobody else for miles. We have been stationed in a remote northern part for now, which is as a blessing, I guess. At least we won't see much action. The only problem is that now that my men know how to fight, they want to try out their skill. Communications are down... again. I swear that the war could end and it would be a year before they decide to tell us! We get the occational visit from a commander everyonce in a while, but its only regulation visits to the station. We're freezing our butts off up here while the rest of Europe is in the middle of a war! Wait... whats that on the horizon? A German convoy? Get ready men! Heres your chance to show off your skills! Don't let me down!
December 25, 1914
Here we are. The first Christmas of many I assume.
P.S. I hate that meat salesman from down the street...
January 25, 1915
Happy new year, or at least, as happy as it gets being in a cold wet ditch for a month straight... when I last spoke, I mentioned a group of Austro-Hungarian soldiers to the west marching this way. Well, they came, and they faught, and are still fighting. The battle started off exciting! Our men held them off for hours. We fired artillery, used machine guns, and even pushed them back a little bit. The only problem is that they did the same thing about half a mile away. So here we are. Two countries standing in walking distance of each other, but never moving an inch. We have been more reluctant to send our troops into what the western front calls "no man's land", but we have sent a few. About five hundred or so have died so far on our side, and each day the number increases. It's miserable down here, but at least I know im not being sent accross on one of the general's crazy suicide missions. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for my men. Half of my squad has been replaced already and I feel that soon I won't be able to recognize anyone in it. It makes me wish that we were back up in the wasteland to the north. But then I hear that they are expieriencing war too, so mabye not... It is upsetting, however that we're in one of the only trench systems on the Eastern Front. I guess its better than not knowing when or where we'll be attacked, however. Theres not much surprise here. Oh look! They're charging after us! What a surprise. I will talk later. For now, we must deal with these pests.
April 17, 1915
Today, the German's struck back. After capturing Lemburg, we ran out of supplies. There is no point to keep going in, If I can say so, I would wrather be back on our little "front" without seeing any action. I can only hope this doesn't become like the fronts of the west... We continue to fall back to the East, and it feels as if we have accomplished nothing. It's only a matter of time before they recapture Lemburg and all the land we worked so hard to secure...
May 20, 1916
I know that it has been over one year since I last wrote, but it's been so hectic I never had he opportunity to. Now, however, I'm mad. That greedy swine Sir Nicholas is making us fight in this war, when we cant even afford it! He is sending our men into the line of fire to be massacred and letting our troops get run over because we have very few guns to defend ourselves! I hear of riots that have started forming in Moscow and across the entire nation. It wont be long before I have the so called "Tzar's" head on a sliver platter if I have anything to say about it!
May 21, 1916
We discussed it last night, and we have have all decided apon one thing. REVOLUTION! Forget this war and it's petty reasons, we're leaving and not coming back. Boy is this exciting! We will make him pay for what hes done to us and we will rebuild this country from the ground up. Mother Russia will no longer be the poor nation. Millions of soldiers will not have died in vain. A rebirth is upon us, and it will be grand! As we prepare for the assult, we prepare for a war of our own. It's not involving any Germany, Italy, Britain, or even Serbia. This is our war. Our revolution.